#robotics Logs

Oct 20 2015

08:10 robotust1a ping
08:10 deshipu yawn
08:13 robotust1a morning
09:35 rue_house yes, its on hackaday...
10:37 veverak deshipu: ROS looks awesome
10:42 deshipu veverak: it's a big mess, but a lot of things is already solved in it
10:42 deshipu veverak: somehow I never have the time to try it
12:03 veverak yeah
12:07 Tebbo hey everyone, I'm looking for some input on possibly building a large vending machine
12:07 Tebbo potentially something that could hold over 1000 items in a climate controlled room
12:08 Tebbo I was trying to figure out a simple conveyance method like a conveyor belt or something
12:11 veverak deshipu: so far I understand it somehow
12:11 veverak but need to read some code to be sure :)
12:13 deshipu Tebbo: how large and how heavy are the items?
12:13 deshipu Tebbo: also how fragile
12:13 Tebbo soda cans and snacks
12:13 Tebbo a large monster can would have the most mass
12:13 Tebbo but snack bags are very fragile
12:14 Tebbo i'm thinking a robotic arm
12:14 deshipu how much liquid does it have?
12:14 Tebbo but i'm not sure if that's too over-engineered
12:14 Tebbo uhh
12:14 deshipu a large monster can, I mean
12:14 Tebbo 24oz i think
12:14 deshipu oz
12:14 deshipu ?
12:14 Tebbo ounces
12:14 deshipu ah, freedom units ;)
12:14 Snert_ :) lol
12:14 Tebbo lol
12:14 Tebbo almost a liter
12:14 Tebbo let's just say a liter
12:14 deshipu ok, so that's ~1kg
12:15 deshipu how fast does it have to be?
12:15 Tebbo less than 1 minute
12:15 Tebbo would be best
12:15 deshipu distance?
12:15 Tebbo depends on conveyance method
12:15 Tebbo i was thinking of not having an arm
12:15 Tebbo and having some kind of multi-hopper system
12:16 Tebbo with a retrieval bucket
12:16 deshipu the worst case for distance?
12:16 Tebbo 10 feet
12:16 Tebbo errhhh uhh
12:16 shipu conv
12:16 Tebbo about 3 mters
12:17 deshipu I'm thinking about something like that claw machine
12:17 deshipu for mascots
12:17 Tebbo well that was a suggestion in another channel
12:17 Tebbo just get a robotic arm
12:17 deshipu only without the "open the claw randomly" mechanism
12:17 Tebbo and build shelves and boxes
12:18 deshipu the thing is, if it's hanging down vertically, you only need one motor that is strong enough to haul 1kg
12:18 deshipu the other two can be weaker, because they only move it horizontally
12:18 Tebbo yeah, but pulling from boxes might be tricky
12:19 Tebbo not grabbing it right
12:19 Tebbo grabbing two
12:19 Tebbo i think some kind of conveyance system would be better
12:19 Tebbo also more expensive though
12:19 deshipu hmmm
12:20 deshipu you could have a kind of a multi-storey conveyor belt, with boxes attached to it
12:20 deshipu you would rotate it until the right item is near the exit, and then just push that item out
12:20 Tebbo well i'd only want like a little bit of each product
12:20 Tebbo like 200 colas, 200 ginger ale, 200 etc
12:20 Tebbo hmm
12:21 Tebbo that is interesting
12:21 Tebbo like a disc
12:23 deshipu you remember those puzzles, where you have a picture divided into squares, and one square is missing?
12:23 Tebbo yeah, but now you're getting crazy
12:23 Tebbo meh
12:23 deshipu :P
12:23 deshipu I prefer the term "creative" ;)
12:23 Tebbo I'm thinking it would be easier and cheaper to just get old school vending machines
12:23 Tebbo I was just thinking rather than spend ~5k on vending machine
12:24 Tebbo I might be able to build something that could act as one, but cost less
12:24 deshipu by the way, it wasn't clear if you want safety/security too
12:24 Tebbo how much would a robotic arm be that could lift 2k
12:24 Tebbo well no
12:24 Tebbo i would put the mechanism behind a wall
12:24 Snert_ prolly about a megabuck.
12:24 Tebbo there would be like a "stocking room"
12:25 Tebbo 1 whole megabuck?!?!
12:25 deshipu the price of robot arms also depends on the reach and precision
12:25 Snert_ it won't be cheap .
12:25 deshipu but they are expensive
12:25 deshipu I mean the real ones
12:25 deshipu from factories
12:25 Tebbo i don't need it to lift a car door
12:25 Tebbo just a can of soda
12:26 Snert_ you want toy servos?
12:26 Tebbo heh
12:26 Tebbo no obviously not
12:26 Snert_ there is plenty of that crap.
12:26 Tebbo but i figure there has to be a midrange option
12:26 Snert_ then you're into gear motors, encoders and positioning systems.
12:27 Snert_ I've seen $2500.00 get a decent one but it may not be able to lift a beer.
12:27 veverak old vending machine seems better :)
12:27 deshipu or just a bunch of strings and wheels
12:27 Tebbo at this juncture yeah it seems
12:27 Tebbo strings and wheels?
12:27 Tebbo lol wat
12:27 Snert_ pulleys and suchcrap.
12:28 Tebbo i have no idea what kind of shitshow you're thinking about
12:28 Tebbo but that's hilarious
12:28 Tebbo i'm imagining some kind of peter pan esque vending machine
12:28 Tebbo powered by like a kid pulling on some strings
12:28 Snert_ if it doesn't cost $1,000.00 you wouldn't be happy with it.
12:28 Tebbo and making buzzing noises when you put the money in
12:29 Tebbo that's not true tbh
12:29 Tebbo if I could find a low-tech solution thta would be optimal actually
12:29 Tebbo like if I could just get a feed system
12:29 Tebbo with some kind of panel that dispensed the item
12:29 Snert_ you said robot though...an arm.
12:29 Tebbo that was just a suggestion
12:30 deshipu Tebbo: you don't need an arm
12:30 Tebbo yeah i don't think so either
12:31 deshipu Tebbo: you need moving containers on a string
12:31 Tebbo what?
12:31 deshipu plastic boxes, hanging from a string that scrolls until the right one is next to the hole
12:32 deshipu and some sensor that tells you how many boxes scrolled by
12:32 Tebbo how do you dispense it though?
12:33 deshipu a shoe on a moving rod kicking them out ;)
12:33 Tebbo lol
12:35 deshipu or any other mechanism for tipping the box
12:37 deshipu if the boxes are heavy, they don't have to be attached to the string permanently -- you could have a gripper on that string
12:37 deshipu it would scroll to the right box, grip it, and then scroll to the exit
12:39 veverak well
12:39 veverak my question is, would such a machine really worth it?
12:39 veverak I mean
12:39 veverak any solution makes it nontrivial
12:40 Tebbo yeah that' swhat i'm seeing as well
12:41 Tebbo considering just bying 5 old vending machines could cost <6k
12:41 Tebbo any solution would easily be over 10k (usd)
20:36 rue_shop3 do launchers have to be arranged in particular ways? ... to look cool...
20:36 rue_shop3 bundles of 5 and or 7?
20:47 adam789654123 hey rue_shop3
20:47 adam789654123 hows the clock going?
20:51 rue_shop3 I'm waiting for a) me to code b) ebay things to arrive
20:51 rue_shop3 I'm working on the mecha
20:52 adam789654123 oh
20:52 rue_shop3 just mouting rocket launchers and large calibor firearms
20:52 adam789654123 do you have a page or anything to follow the project?
20:52 rue_shop3 I need to hurry, its getting dark
20:52 adam789654123 ohhh
20:52 adam789654123 sorry
20:52 rue_shop3 the clock, the power supply, or the mecha?
20:52 rue_shop3 need to work on the new boiler too
20:52 rue_shop3 dark!
20:53 adam789654123 the entire thing
20:53 adam789654123 i was wondering if you sorta did a project webpage or something
20:53 adam789654123 or even if you ever thought of something like that
20:53 adam789654123 maybe a neat tool could be made
20:53 adam789654123 :D
20:54 rue_shop3 yea
20:54 rue_shop3 http://ruemohr.org
20:55 rue_shop3 look under projects and robots
20:55 adam789654123 great
20:55 adam789654123 when i get my windowing system ill check it out
20:55 adam789654123 i know i need to see the pictures
20:55 adam789654123 :D
22:47 rue_house http://ruemohr.org/~ircjunk/projects/mecha1/p1070519.jpg
22:47 rue_house fun fun fun fun
23:00 anonnumberanon lol
23:19 rue_house there are so many fun thigns that could be done, box it in, add lights, add motion tracking
23:20 Snert a cross twixt robothing and a raptor
23:21 Snert kool idea - it needs to look better though. High Tech.
23:21 Snert Lord knows I could never do anything as nice as that.
23:21 Snert have that fucker walk the property.
23:22 Snert flashing lights and making "guard sounds"
23:23 onnumberanon thinks rue_house is testing his we
23:24 anonnumberanon You think you make it walk?
23:24 rue_house I was using up scrap metal and having fun
23:25 rue_house actually, the design would lend itself quite nicely to actaully moving (less the hips_
23:25 rue_house )
23:27 Snert Robochicken
23:27 rue_house its a .. hmm whats it, A1 style battle mecha
23:28 rue_house old school, before the double jointed knees
23:29 rue_house http://d15yciz5bluc83.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/BattleMech-Tech-Page-illustration.jpg?bab45d
23:29 rue_house http://media.moddb.com/images/mods/1/9/8528/67764.jpg
23:30 rue_house I call it a reverse chicken
23:31 rue_house https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8465/8352187283_04f03ba3f9_b.jpg
23:31 rue_house I'm not sure when battle mecha evolved the double knee
23:33 rue_house it was supposed to come out to 4' high, it ended up at 5
23:34 rue_house oh I see a better way to have done the hips... hmm
23:34 rue_house I'll have to make another one :)